Why Shopping At Christmas Isn't All Bad

"There's nothing more contagious than the laughter of young children; it doesn't even have to matter what they're laughing about."  -Criss Jami

Recently I was reminded of the innocence and excitement of childhood.  The day had been stressful.  Full of lists, to do and otherwise; one of those days where you're scrambling to write things down on scraps of paper before they leave the forefront of your mind.  This feelings was amplified with the knowledge that LA is heading out of town and won't be at work.  So much to do, so little time.

My reminder for the true meaning of the season came as I wandered the aisles of Walmart.  I was shopping for work, well past my scheduled hours, fighting through the clutter and metallic wrapping paper.  My shopping technique is pretty standard - weave up and down every aisle, sometimes twice, looking for whatever is on my list.  It's served me well thus far, and although time consuming, it leaves ample time for taking in the sites.

This particular trip took me into the garden-turned-Christmas area, a little room off to the side at the back of the store.  I was looking for big robe boxes for coats for our students, and wrapping paper to cover a window during our holiday party next week.  There were rows of ornaments and bows, small villages and tabletop trees; and as it always happens, what I needed was in the last two rows.

But I couldn't have been more grateful for the delay, the wandering up and down as I searched for what I needed.  For it was here, in this small area at the back of the store, where a mom was pushing a cart containing, among various gifts and necessities, two little girls.  I heard them before I saw them.  They loudly announced their arrival with a chorus of "ho, ho, ho," trying to make their little voices as deep as possible.

As they neared my cart, I see one in the seat and one in the basket, both wearing their curly dark hair up and flaunting Christmas stockings on their hands.  They sing a made up song, "Merry Christmas to everyone."  Their excitement and wonder at the season is infectious and I can't keep myself from smiling.  They have no idea how much their sweet spirits have brightened my stressful day.  There is something beautiful about the innocence of a child and the energy they can barely contain during this special time of the year.  I wish I could bottle it and keep it around for the hard days, cracking open the sound of laughter and appreciate for the joy of life seen though the eyes of a child.  It reminds me to take time and be present wherever I am, not only in during this season of anticipation and excitement, but in the mundane and everyday.

The Downside to Dum-Dums

I was sitting in a Starbucks this morning, waiting for a coffee companion who would ultimately never show.  I had arrived to our meeting early, intending to prepare and organize a few notes, but instead I started writing.  Here's what happened:

Friday I had an interesting interaction with two of my students.  The first was a fifth grade girl.  She had opened the fridge where our students keep their water bottles. provided by the program, and where I keep the students' drinks and dinners for the week.  You may also find the occasionally abandoned soft drink, not to mention at least 2 bottles each of chocolate and strawberry syrup used to flavor the white milk almost none of my students want to drink.  A little flavor goes a long way.

Anyway, she's opened the fridge to get her water bottle, which is numbered to discourage students from sharing more than just water.  Standing with the fridge open, she realizes her bottle is empty and says that she'll just drink from her older brother's bottle.  She's going to wait for us "to fill up her bottle" for her.

Excuse me?

I looked at her and stated simply that LA and I are not responsible for filling up the bottles.  The only time we even worry with them is when we wash them [or pick them up from the table, floor, desk, playground, etc where they are carelessly left].  Despite her family's presence in our program for a number of years, this student seemed surprised that it was her responsibility to refill her water.  [And as far as I know, she still didn't fill it!]

The second occurred while on our field trip last week.  The students visited a local credit union to deposit the money they earn for grades each nine weeks.  I sent two boys in to use the restroom and followed them in to see how many students were still in line.  Clearly, the boys weren't aware I had followed them inside.  Both boys, despite have to go "so badly" stopped at the desk just inside the door and asked for a dum-dum sucker.  Normally I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but both students had already deposited their money and, upon doing so successfully, had received a plastic cup and 2 suckers.

I am not ok with my students expecting to receive things when we go on field trips.  [On the flip side, I am grateful for the generous hearts of people within our community].  Part of me wonders about myself in this situation.  I'll admit, I chastised the boys once they got outside.  They had already received, were already given where gifts were not expected, and then returned to ask for more.  I think, why point out and correct over something as small as a dum-dum when my students already have so little?

But I also wonder, where does this sense of entitlement come from?  What does this say about how we are meeting the needs of these students and their families?  I strive to empower my students, not come at their every call.  I want my students to work hard, advocate for themselves, and earn what they get.

My students thrive on questions.  Anytime something new is in the office, there are endless questions.  Are those for us?  Can I have it now?  When?  What's it for?  Where did you get it?  When can I have it?  Who's it for?  Why is it here?  Is it going to stay here?  Did you eat cake without me?  [This last one is a particular favorite, and it was asked only one day.  Another group had had a parent meeting and served cake, the remainder of which was in the trash.  More than one student came by, looked in the trash, and wanted to know who had cake and if they would get any.  All before they even said hello].

I do want them to feel comfortable asking for things, particularly help.  I want to give them the tools they need to succeed.

I do not want them to be given everything, to expect gifts each time we go into the community.  Nor do I want to deny them little joys, or rush them into growing up.  They are entitled to a childhood.  Where's the balance here?  Am I wrong?

I am the luckiest

I have spent my morning lingering over coffee, curled on the couch reading for hours.  There was a half marathon in town today that ran though my neighborhood so I decided to delay any outings.  To sit and be has been so refreshing.

Even now, sitting on the couch I glance out the window and see bright and clear blue sky.  The green of the tall evergreens is stark against the blue.  The sun streams in, brightening the side of the house across the street.  Never before has it seemed so white, the trim of the windows so bold.  The tree outside my window waves a few leftover leaves at me, wind whistles under the roof of the porch like a swarm of insects.  The day looks warm, but I am not fooled - 50 degrees is still cold in my book.

Like this morning, yesterday truly was a day of small things.

I got some things done at the office, donning comfy clothes [cause it's Friday] and a second cup of coffee.  I was able to finish up a few projects I had going and, while things are always going on and up in the air, I ended my office time feeling satisfied.

I got to spend the afternoon with my [mostly] sweet students, laughing and eating crunchy noodles from atop a plastic bag, listening as small voices joined together to thank God before they began eating.

We danced through traffic, arms waving about our heads and our bodies bouncing in the seats, on our way to the bank for them to deposit their money.  Upon parking the van I see a familiar face making her way into the bank.  Honking gets me 10 minutes with my old college roommate, catching up with my van of students looking on and growing restless.  While they were waiting to go in, everyone stood outside in a parking space playing Simon Says and eating suckers.  We were barely in the car when it started to sprinkle.

As I drove a few of my students home, I got asked some pretty heavy questions.  What is cancer?  What is HIV?  How do you get them?  Why did Chris Brown hit Rihanna?  Is he in jail?  It's amazing the things 4th and 5th graders bring up, and I find the perspective of my ELL students to be the most interesting.  [Over Halloween, the big concern was poisoned candy, where it came from, how it got poisoned and why].  Although things can be hard to explain, and I certainly don't want to give answers that cause too much distress, I feel honored to be a part of the conversation.

As soon as I got home, I checked movie times and made the quick decision to go see a movie.  I had asked a few friends to join me earlier in the week but we couldn't all get together.  I saw About Time, and was actually glad that I saw it alone.  It's refreshing, sometimes, to do things alone.  After the movie was over, I chatted with another lady who had also come alone.  We talked outside the theatre for at least a half hour.

The drive home was quiet and warm for this time of year.  The moon was hanging low, bigger than I've seen in a while.  Almost perfectly round except for a sliver at the top, covered by a dark, thin cloud.  I tried to find a good spot to grab a picture, but couldn't; it would have never looked like the real thing anyway.

I've been trying to pay attention to the small things.  I want to be a noticer.  An appreciator.  It's got to be a habit; too much get lost in the daily grind.  The only want to make a habit is to practice, I suppose.

Amidst tears and word cards

I'll admit, most of my students are enigmas to me.  Having only been on the job for a few months, and noting that this is a very different population than I'm used to working with, I spend a good bit of time learning to communicate with my students and then processing what I've learned.

Today was no different.  There is one student who has sporadic attendance in our program, and would rather choose to constantly run around, do cartwheels and turn circles rather than do homework.  My boss had a meeting with his teacher and mom today [I would have been there too if I hadn't gotten up late...oops] and I gained a little more insight into his life.

There is a slew of challenges going on in this child's life both at school and at home, and getting the background made the daily grind a little easier.  After getting the run down on the meeting, I spent the better part of my day making word cards.  He is surprisingly good in math but struggles in reading and spelling.  LA [my boss] and I hoped that by making letters cards and word matching, he would be more apt to study.  We hoped that giving him something to move, something to put his hands on, would entice him a bit.

Today was not his best day, and about an hour into program he was frustrated and crying [and it wasn't even related to homework!].  After a little coercion, he finally worked with me on the word cards.  There is a lot of work to be done, and I do not have a hard time envisioning more frustration and tears, but he seemed to enjoy the work.

I'll admit - working at my computer all day and putting together these activities for him was tedious.  By the end of it my shoulders hurt, my legs were restless, and it felt like I had wasted a day doing nothing but cutting paper.  For the last few weeks I've been working on individualized activities for my students to do once they finish their homework.  With more than 25 students in 9 different schools, I've been spending a lot of time in front of a computer.  The work seems to be never ending and I didn't realize how tiring it can be.

But watching him work today was the reward.  I wasn't sure he would be on board with the activities but he seemed to enjoy them [as much as he could in his current emotional state].

There are so many things going on in the lives of my students, and sometimes I forget they are just kids.  I'm still learning a ton every day, but I'm lucky enough to have students and a boss who give me grace each day as I fumble my way.  I know there are more long days ahead, more mistakes, more tears and frustration [from my students or me?].  But I know it all works for good, and I hope I get some insight one day into the long term effect.

Knee Deep

I'm feeling knee deep in various projects.  I'm working on individualized SOL folders for my [28] students, plus the daily operations of our program.  I'm tutoring a second grader twice a week, trying to make homework interesting.  I'm seeking out opportunities to write.  I'm leading preschool play dates.  I'm delving head first into books, something I haven't done for quite some time.  I'm preparing for another [short] trip out of the country.  I'm meeting friends for dinner, teaching Sunday school, chatting with Jesus over coffee and coming to some realizations about myself and what I want.

My life is full.

I spend a good portion of my evenings contemplating worksheet ideas for my students, researching projects, drinking tea, reading and learning from others.  My students are not too happy about our new academic focus and really, who can blame them?  I'm still fumbling along blindly - I have no formal education or experience as an educator.  I get that they've sat in school all day and sometimes the last place they want to be is with me in after school, particularly the middle school students.  This project is in its infancy and worksheets are the go-to.  Hormones are raging and attitudes are sharp, and some days I feel like I spend more time defending than anything else.  There are days I feel incredibly overwhelmed and inadequate.  Is this really how it's supposed to go?

Despite the busy, the insufficient, the push back, I see the gift.  I see the small and the lovely, the special and cherished.  It comes wrapped in laughter as I tutor, causing us to lose all focus.  It comes in the face of a preschooler as he sticks is hand in paint and proudly smooshes it onto his paper.  It comes in strangers helping me load boxes of food to feed my students.  It comes in motivation and in falling exhausted into bed each evening.  It comes in the quiet and in the noise.

In light of that idea, I'm contemplating a shift on the blog.  Perhaps a new web address and title will roll out soon, providing a place for intentional reflection on the gifts I receive each day.

And boy, are those gifts abundant!

Free as a bird!

I have a rare thing today:  a free Saturday.  Not just a Saturday, but a whole weekend actually.  Although I don't work, there's still lots going on.  On the list include:

• Night out with my good friend Tim - done!
• Shopping with Tim for new clothes - done!
• Closing out my Thirty One Fundraiser - done!
• Shopping for Ethiopia with Em
• Baseball game (second to last one of the season)
• Church on Sunday
• Meeting with two ladies about Ethiopia
• Fall kick off event at my other church
• Loving some kids at St. Johns
• Preparing for the week ahead
• Bowling and general merry-making with friends

There's also some not fun things on that list like:

• Clean the bathroom
• Vacuum
• Do the dishes
• Shop for groceries
• Figure out meals for the next week or two

So far, though, things are shaping up nicely.  Although I'm making sure to pack this weekend full of things I want to do, I probably really should take a small break and relax.  Starting next week, I'm training in another department at work, which will increase my weekly hours closer to 40.  I'm excited about it but it will leave less time for planning for after school, which is really my main focus these days.  Next week 20 elementary school students (in groups at least) are responsible for making their own snack, as well as getting along with each other and trying not to get swim privledges taken away from them.  Phew!

Sitting down to look at it all makes me feel busy but blessed.  Time to start checking things off that list - hopefully Irene doesn't have any remnants that ruin baseball plans (we're not supposed to get anything but I guess you never can tell).

In the Blink of an Eye

It's been over a month since my last post.  I've opened a window and hoped to write many times but the words just didn't come.  And once the end of July hit life hit full swing and I couldn't seem to find the time to sit and fight the words onto the page.  So here's a brief recap of the super fast month that was August.

At the end of July, my church had their second annual VBS/Day Camp.  We opened it up to many churches and organizations in the area, as well as the Nepali church that meets on Sundays next door to us.  We had a great turn out and I was blessed to be a part of the planning and teaching.



These kids were such a joy to be around and I loved getting to spend time with each of them.  We're waiting to see the doors the Lord is going to open with these kids and our church.

At the beginning of August I kicked off my fundraiser for Ethiopia.  A friend of mine who sells Thirty One products offered to host a party for me and donate all the proceeds toward my trip.  We had a party on the 20th and so far have had a good run with things.  All orders have to be in by Friday so we'll see what the final outcome is.

Along with the fundraiser, I also made a commitment to not spend any extra money until my trip in October.  So far I'm doing pretty well with it, only dropping a dollar at a baseball game Monday night for a hot dog.  I did spend some for the party last weekend to make sure we had some food but all the extras I'm eating.  :)

The middle of August brought about the last few weeks of summer camp.  With a lot of our staff heading back to school, everyone on the schedule was working overtime for two weeks to keep our day camp with 40+ kids appropriately staffed.  It was fun, but I'm glad it's over.  Forty kids is a lot to deal with, and while the trips were fun and the kids were fun, I'm looking forward to settling into a routine.

This week school started, so that means the after school program at work did to.  This year I'm in charge of that program, planning and organizing and coordinating everything those kids do from the time they arrive to the time parents pick them up.  Right now we have 21 kids but it's possible we'll get a few more next week.  That's still a lot of kids, but much more doable than forty!

This part of my job I really like actually.  Sometimes the kids are a little crazy and don't listen really well but it's all worth it.  Yesterday I was in the pool with a little girl in a life jacket (got to have an adult within arm's reach at all times) and we were going through the lazy river.  When we finished I asked her if she wanted to go down the slide or through the lazy river again.  Her answer: "I wanna go through the crazy river."  Love it!

Hopefully things are going to start slowing down here soon.  I've finally done all the laundry in the last two days, the sink is empty, I can see my floor, and all the stacks on the coffee table are at least organized.  Life is good!

Full stomach, full life

I don't know what it was but I came home last night feeling more fully myself than I have in a while.  It was during the drive home from a dinner gathering that I realized how satisfied and light and fulfilled I felt.  I felt known and accepted and heard.

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity.  I've worked everyday this week (a blessing) teaching babysitting camp at the Rec center.  It's been a little stressful because the lessons had some holes in them - I didn't plan the camp and didn't get to see the layout of it until about 20 minutes before kids starting showing up on Monday.  Luckily it's a small group and they're flexible and forgiving and tell me that they're bored so we can cook up something fun.

Tuesday night I had dinner with a church friend of mine, Trisha, who's approximately 40 years older than I am.  I love meeting with her and hearing her take on life and God.  She often feeds my heart and my stomach well and getting to watch her and her husband interact is always a blessing.  They have been married for the same amount of time as our age is different.  I am so glad we've been able to connect outside of church.

Yesterday I had a job interview in the morning as a public relations secretary with the city school district.  I really have no idea how it went, but I know I'll be placed in a job that suits me.  All I can do is keep applying and keep interviewing.  Despite the hectic feeling of the day, I got to end it with a lovely dinner at the house of one of the families from the Rec center.

The Reedy's are such a lovely addition to this area.  They have two girls that I fell in love with the moment I met them.  (Their pictures were among the first hung at my previous cube job).  Both the girls are so lively and friendly and beautiful and happy and full of laughter.  Just seeing them brightens my day.  Last night included lots of laughter and sharing (a lot of that included the girls sharing their toys with me), and I left feeling uplifted.  I have never gotten a good chance to know the adult Reedy's but I feel this could be the beginning of something wonderful.

It seems lately that good dinners have equaled good conversations. 

This busy week mostly ends for me tonight with the Harry Potter midnight showing.  Em and I have decided we must be there.

Source

The first book came out in 1999, when I was in middle school, and the movie pandemonium started in 2001.  I feel especially kindred to the last HP movie, as the last book was released shortly after Em's and my B&N store opened (it actually caused us to open early).  While I've never read the books I do enjoy going to see the movies, and I certainly wouldn't miss this one.

Cheers to full lives and late night movies.

Thirty-two flavors and then some

Yesterday at 12:40 I walked out of my job for the last time.  While it was glorious and much needed, I will admit to missing the people (already) and being a little nervous about the new financial situation I find myself in.  But I believe it's better to be happy and a little strapped for cash than miserable with all the money in the world.

After I left work, mom and I went out for lunch, and I took her to a Mexican restaurant she's never been to.  We spent some time wondering around the mall, and when we were about half way through the journey we ran into her younger sister, who had stopped in to purchase some shoes for her husband for father's day.

Mom and I accompanied her to Finish Line, where I was hit hard with a realization.  Mom was looking at a pair of shoes when the sales person (a boy I went to high school with) approached her and started making his pitch.  The shoes mom was looking at were called Brooks, and apparently they can do everything but actually walk for you.  They have a thing in the arch that's supposed to stabilize your foot and make you walk straighter.  Then there's this button of air you can see on the sole of the heel that is supposed to adjust to the pressure on your feet when you step down.  The salesman talked for probably 3 minutes without taking a breath, just giving information about this high-tech, yet surprisingly normal looking shoe.

Credit

I wasn't really interested, so I started looking around the store and my upcoming trip to Ethiopia popped randomly into my head.  I thought of all the people in that country, and in the world, without shoes.  We're not talking shoes that adjust to your walking style or shoes to help you lose inches or shoes designed for a specific activity like walking or running.  Just shoes to keep your feet covered, protect you from the elements, maybe help you to be able to walk a few years longer.  Here I am, standing in a store with 25 bays of shoes, each of which probably has at least 20 single shoes on display.  That's 500 shoes on display alone.  That doesn't count the mates to those displays, or the various sizes stocked in the back, or the shoes on display on tables in the middle of the store.

My mind was blown.  I sat on a bench for a moment, trying to imagine what it would be like to be a person who had lived without shoes my entire life, and walking into a store like this. 

I couldn't.

Then my mind took it a little farther - this is just one store in the mall.  There are at least 3 other stores devoted solely to shoes in the mall, not to mention all the department stores and small chains that sell shoes too.  We could shoe an entire country without making a dent.

Realizations like this one make me incredibly sad and humble but blessed and motivated all at the same time.  There are so many days I go through without thinking about what I have, about all I've been given and privileged to, and I use those gifts to maintain or obtain my own selfish desires.

Does anyone else think about these things?  Surely I can't be the only one...

M.I.A.

Sorry I've been missing in action lately.  My six year old computer decided to kick the bucket last month so I had to wait almost three and a half weeks for my new one to arrive.  It set me back a pretty penny but it's one of those things that's (sadly) kind of hard to live without nowadays.

In other (more exciting) news, I put in my two weeks notice at work yesterday.  While I can't wait to be free of that place and the feelings I associate with it, it almost makes it harder to go in everyday and work until the 24th.  I'll be taking the last three days as PTO (making my final exit on the 20th) and laying myself by the pool on my self-declared 'mini-vacation' until I can get back on the schedule at the Rec center.  And I know that being by the pool will be much more enjoyable knowing I'm being paid for it.

I'm excited I took this stand for myself.  I'm a pretty practical person, and it was hard for me to make this decision without having something equal in terms of benefits and stability.  The Rec center can give me almost 40 hours a week for the summer between camps and teaching, but it won't be forever and there's no benefits.  But I'll find something.  I'll live.  And probably with a better quality of life than I've had for the last few months.

Lately I've been feeling really sad (like sad enough that just thinking about work nearly brought me to tears waiting in the doctor's office on Tuesday), and not up to par physically either (no relation to the doctor's visit).  But what got me down more than anything was my lack of a spiritual life.  Not being able to attend church regularly has been really hard for me, and that is certainly the part of my new schedule I'm looking forward to the most.  I'll admit though, I will miss getting off at 4:30 everyday as a guaranteed thing. 

Last night was really the first night I've felt like myself in a long time.  Bekah and Sandy and I went to the eighth grade graduation of some of the middle schoolers and it was wonderful.  There were lots of laughs and witty comments, and I felt like I was speaking up and holding my own in a way that I've missed lately.

I'm excited to see where this goes, and this re-introduction to my freedom is perfectly timed for summer adventures.  Cheers to change.

My new friend Tom

I've been told that while living on your own, you often acquire more stuff than you realize or desire.  I learned this first hand when I made that final move from college and discovered I had more shoes, clothes, and furniture than I knew what to do with.

But one piece of "furniture" I thought I'd never acquire - a drum.  Em came home one night last week heavy laden with a mid tom from a drum set.  A co-worker had given it to her stating someone was giving it away and he thought she might like it.

Tom has seemed to find a permanent residence in the space between the kitchen table and the desk in the entry way/living room/dining area of the apartment.  I've taken to beating on him when I need luck while Em finds it more therapeutic to give him a few knocks when she's frustrated.  Who knew his rustic appearance and baritone voice would have won us over so easily.

Moving out, I knew I'd acquire more material things than I wanted, which is a bit annoying as I was hoping moving into a smaller place would help me downsize and be more choosy when making purchases.  Despite how it might sound, Tom is a welcome addition to our new place.  (I'm thinking we should get visitors to sign him in Sharpie).  After all, it's not often a new guy comes into your life, is always there when you need him, and willing sits while you beat him.  I think this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Indecision

I woke up composing this entry this morning, and although that was 12 hours ago and I know it's not going to be at all like it started this morning, the fact that I've been thinking about it that long probably means it really needs to be written. 

I need a new job.  I know you're thinking "Already?  But didn't you just start this job and think it was the best thing ever?"  The answer is yes to both questions.  I guess it just goes to show you don't know what you're in for, or what you like, until you try it.  But I now know I don't like this.

I'm not used to having to meet numbers, and I've never had a job that requires me to sit for hours on end.  I'm used to planning and executing things, moving around, being proactive and interacting face to face with customers.  The desire to call in for work today started at 10pm last night - but I made it though all 8 hours (but just barely).  The pull to leave early each day weighs on me and while I want more than anything to follow in the steps of one of my coworkers who just hasn't shown up for work in the last week, I just don't have it in me.  My parents both have strong work ethics and (luckily) I inherited that trait.

Although he got up every day and kept plugging away at it, my dad hated his job and beginning probably as soon as I have memories I remember him telling me to get a job I liked.  That has become my mantra and, as a result, it might make it seem like I'm being a princess about my job(s).  But really, the thought of being roped into a work experience just for the benefits terrifies me.  I saw a lot of things in my dad after he retired that I never saw in him as a working adult and I don't want it to take 35 or 40 years of working for me to enjoy the majority of my waking hours.  I want to be fulfilled and make a difference and feel good about getting up in the morning.

I currently don't feel that.

So, starting tomorrow I'm updating that resume and I'm putting out feelers for something relating to my degree.  And I'm going to try my hardest not to be afraid of getting to start over somewhere new (because chances of me finding anything in my small hometown are shrinking more as time goes on).  Em and I talked about it last night and agreed that it never hurts to try and see where things go.  Wish me luck!

Transitions

Today was my first "official" day on the job, getting up before the sun (at least until daylight savings time begins/ends...I don't know which one makes the days last longer) and trying extra hard to adhere to my schedule.  Nothing terribly notable on the whole except the occasional "you people" calls and the cute old ladies who end my day on a good note.

After work I headed to St. John's for youth Sunday.  I missed going to COR for normal Sunday morning service, and having to work today makes it feel too much like a normal weekday for my liking.  Now I'm never going to know what day it is.  St. John's is more structured than COR and actually attending service instead of just helping with the youth is going to take some getting used to.  Lots of ups and downs and repeating together.  But we are able to take communion every week and I'm pretty sure that is one of, if not my absolute favorite, part of church.  There's something about people approaching the same table, treated the same regardless of age, race, or station in life, standing with open hands, expectantly waiting to receive. 

Youth Sunday was so good and I was so proud.  All the youth groups participated by cooking the meal, leading the songs, even giving the main talk.  Instead of having traditional youth group this evening we had a "congregational conversation," where youth and adults sat in groups and discussed questions that had been submitted at last years meeting.  It was impressive (as always) getting to hear the kids thoughts on things.  Watching the kids step up and take leadership roles makes me super happy.  I did get asked, however, by one of the older ladies after the service if I was a mom of one of the kids - I hope I don't look that old.

Another day of work tomorrow followed by grocery shopping, checkbook balancing and ballet teaching.  Stoked about Tuesday, my first day off in over a week.  But for now I'm off to enjoy a half hour of Forrest Gump before crashing at my new old lady bedtime of 10pm.  I'm awesome.

Work Woes

It's sad that the first thing that makes me want to blog is a bad phone call at work.  Actually, I've had a few ideas in the 15 days since my last entry, but nothing has materialized.  I spent almost a week feeling like I was coming down with some sort of yucky sickness, but that seemed to have passed.  I was hoping to have a witty, photo-filled entry from the housewarming party Em and I had with some of my (former) co-workers, but I ended up having to bail on that because I was feeling so gross.  I had spent a few days at home after mom and I went to the Brad Paisley concert the other weekend, and ended up going back once I started feeling bad.  But, let's get back to the meat and potatoes of this entry...

I had the first really bad call since I started at this new job.  It wasn't even the fact that the lady was very sternly and loudly stating her side of things, but more the fact that I felt powerless to help her.  I'm still new and while there's a lot of things I know, there's a lot of things I don't.  While this woman was asserting her view, I was desperately searching for a way to ease her distress and it wasn't until 15 minutes into the one-sided conversation that I realized I'd been looking in the wrong place the whole time.  Damn.  I could have saved her a lot of frustration and me a few seconds of ashamedly watering eyes if I had just known where to look.  Luckily I was able to compose myself without drawing attention to those outside of my cubicle.  Normally I don't let the bad calls get to me but something about this one was different.  Hopefully this is not an occurrence that repeats itself often.

On a lighter note, I did get a rather humorous call earlier in the day.  An older gentleman called in with some basic questions, which I was able to answer for him.  As I was wrapping things up, he told me I had a very pleasant demeanor and told me to keep it up.  He then proceeded to ask where I was located, so I told him VA, to which he stated "Well, sounds like I've got to get myself down to VA."  And I thought this job would be boring -